Pages

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Monon Bob

INDIANAPOLIS - It's not everyday you see a birthday party on the Monon, but it's not everyday Monon Bob turns ninety.

Friends of Robert E. Lee, better known as Monon Bob, threw a surprise party for him Saturday. Bob is a fixture on the trail. He's been walking it every morning since the trail opened 10 years ago.

During that time he has made hundreds of friends, their names written in little notebooks he carries.

"He's turned this into a community. Everyone knows Bob and when you get to know Bob, you get to know each other," said another trail user.

Bob often stops for hellos and hugs.

"We expect to see him. He always has a great attitude and he's our inspiration," said one person on the trail.

His message for his friends:

"Just thanks for being my friend, that's the best thing I can think of, but the other thing is I'm a hugger. I get to steal hugs from all the pretty girls, so that's a highlight," he said.

Bob says seeing friends on the trail also keeps him going.

"I lost my wife five-and-a-half years ago and they've just fulfilled what I needed, I guess. I would give up if it wasn't for the Monon and my family," he said.

Bob's daughter, Diane Scott, says he isn't always aware of the impact he has on the community.

"He doesn't realize what he does. What he knows is what people do for him," she said. "He just has an aura of goodness. There's no one more trustworthy, honest or hard working than dad and people recognize that."

Besides his smile, Bob always wears a special bracelet, which pretty much sums it up.

"It says my daughter's phone number and the last part is 'Luckiest Guy in the World,' one of them, anyway," he said.